Free Touro violence prevention symposium planned for Sunday

Touro University and others have teamed up to present a free, public symposium on
the subject of violence in the hope of finding ways to reduce it, organizers said.

On Sunday, Touro University California faculty, students, Vallejo youth and community
members offer two panels on violence prevention and building safe schools/communities,
they said.

Presented by Lisa Norton, dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences, and
Annette Aalborg, professor and coordinator of the Community Public Health Track, the
event will include performance art by Youth Speaks.

“TUC’s College of Education and Health Sciences, the Graduate School of Education’s
and Public Health Program are committed to improving safety not only at TUC, but at
other local schools and within the Vallejo and surrounding communities,” organizers
said. “Given the recent rise in violence on school campuses and high rates of violence
in communities, we seek to institute effective policies, programs and practices that
will lead to successful interventions to decrease violence in our schools and communities.”

Sponsored by La Clinica, the Eric Reyes Foundation, the Robby Poblete Foundation and
Fighting Back’s Youth Partnership, the Violence Prevention Symposium program includes
a panel on Gun Violence Prevention: Policy and Community Programs and another on Healthy
and Safe Schools: Programs and Practices.

Both panels will bring together local experts who have had successful interventions
in decreasing violence in schools and communities. After the panel discussions there
will be time to break into small group discussions to start the conversation on how
to improve the safety of Vallejo and larger Solano County. There will also be a reception
after the panels. A follow-up session is planned in the spring to work on solutions
for local schools and communities.

“Touro is putting it on, and were looking for a panel of local education folks and
reached out to me and I agreed to be on the panel for best practices for safe schools,”
Clark said. “I know Touro’s principals include helping the community, and I hope to
provide some insight into creating healthy and safe schools.”

Clark said he’s hoping to learn as much as he teaches.

“I want to hear what questions and concerns the community and individuals going into
the teaching profession and administration may have,” he said. “I want to be a part
of this process. I’m very interested in this entire process.”

Sunday’s event is set from 1 to 6 p.m. at Lander Hall on Touro’s Mare Island campus,
1310 Club Drive.

This symposium is free and open to the public; however, registration is highly encouraged.
Register at:https://advancement.tu.edu/ViolencePreventionSymposium-Registration.

Those interested in helping sponsor this event, visit: https://advancement.tu.edu/ViolencePreventionSymposium.
Both corporate and anonymous donations are allowed.